Vivo X Fold 3 Pro Review: A foldable marvel with sleek and light design

Vivo X Fold 3 Pro Review: With the latest innovations and technology being introduced in the smartphone market, foldable devices are such a segment which is yet to be fully evolved. Over the years, we have seen several foldable smartphones from brands such as Samsung, Motorola, Oppo, and others. However, there are some major concerns that foldable smartphone users report constantly. Last year, OnePlus introduced its foldable smartphone which is gaining much traction. Now, Vivo has also entered the foldable market with the third generation being introduced in the Indian market. The company launched the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro with several firsts in the segments, giving tough competition to OnePlus and Samsung.

The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro is the slimmest and lightest smartphone in India. Vivo claims that the smartphone has solved a wide of challenges that a foldable smartphone user faces such as battery life, poor camera quality, durability and more. No doubt that the smartphone is very sleek and lightweight, but does it cover a wide spectrum of user requirements? Well, to test the powers of Vivo X Fold 3 Pro, I used the device for over 15 days and I must say I was impressed by its designs and looks and its multitasking capabilities. To know more about the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro which is priced at Rs.159999, check out this detailed review.

Vivo X Fold 3 Pro Review: Design

Vivo X Fold 3 Pro was launched with only one colour variant, Celestial Black that gives the device a premium look. On the back panel, the smartphone has received a shiny matte-black finish which protects the device from attracting dust or fingerprints. There is also a circular camera module on the back panel, called the 'Big-Eye' camera, that has a fluted bezel inspired by luxury watches.

Since it's a foldable smartphone, many interested buyers would be concerned about its weight and thickness. Well, being India's “Slimmest” and “ Lightest” Fold, buyers will not have to worry about the smartphone being heavy or bulky. The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro weighs 236 grams which is 3 grams lighter than the the OnePlus Open. In terms of thickness, the X Fold 3 Pro is 5.2mm slim when unfolded and 11.2mm thick when folded. Unlike other foldable smartphones, the X Fold 3 Pro has exceeded expectations with its incredibly slim design, as it feels like you are holding a regular high-end phone and not a foldable smartphone, as most of them are heavy due to their bulkiness.

For protection and durability, the X Fold 3 Pro is built with Armor Architecture which consists of Armor glass, and Armor back cover with military-grade UPE fiber. We all are aware of the fact that a foldable smartphone is supported by a hinge which manages the folding functionality and also justifies the device's weight, For X Fold 3 Pro, Vivo has integrated a carbon fibre hinge that weighs only 14.98 grams. Vivo claims that the hinge can support about 100 folds a day with a durability of over 12 years, which is exceptional.

Overall, the Vivo X Fold 3 does not include any shortcomings when it comes to premium design, protection, weight, etc, in my opinion.

Vivo X Fold 3 Pro Review: Display

The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro features a 6.53-inch LTPO 8T AMOLED cover display and an 8.03-inch LTPO 8T AMOLED main foldable display. Before addressing the “brightest” display in foldable smartphones, many must be thinking about the display crease. In contrast, the foldable display crease is visible if you look carefully. However, it does not affect the viewing or functionality experience as it is barely noticeable. I was impressed with the unnoticeable display crease (Good job Vivo!).

The smartphone offers up to 4500nits local brightness which is available on the cover as well as the main screen. With Vivo X Fold 3 Pro there is never a dull moment when it comes to brightness or showcasing high-quality content during direct sunlight conditions. Both screens support a 2K display with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision content, providing you with a premium viewing experience. Both the display offers up to 120Hz refresh rate which makes the navigation smooth and quick. During my time of usage, I did not experience any difficulties in navigation speed and the animations were also smooth.

One of its standout features is the dual-screen ultrasonic fingerprint scanner enabling users to unlock their device when their device is folded or unfolded. Additionally, the scanner is quite quick and responsive.

Vivo X Fold 3 Pro Review: Camera

The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro features a triple camera setup which is co-engineered by ZEISS Optics. In a nutshell, the smartphone comes with a 50MP VCS True Color primary camera, a 64MP ZEISS telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, 10x hybrid zoon, and 100x digital zoom. The third camera sensor is a 50MP wide-angle lens. If keeping it short and simple, then the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro camera is the best that I have ever seen in any premium device. The colour tons, clarity, crispness, everything is perfectly balanced. Its 64MP ZEISS telephoto camera when clicked in 23mm, 70mm, and 90mm focal length works wonders in capturing people and subjects with immense detailing. Its AI night vision camera enhances the lighting and captures images within bright hues, therefore, you do not have to worry about night photography.

The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro also offers features such as supermoon shoot and astrophotography. While the supermoon shoot was not as clear as the Galaxy S24 Ultra, it still managed to capture clear and bright images. On the other hand, they did not think the Astrophotography was accurate in capturing constellations. Apart from these shortcomings, the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro has exceptional cameras.

Its 32 MP dual front camera also manages to capture images with great detail but you'll notice a post-processing. I specifically liked clicking selfies in portrait mode. Additionally, it also gives you the freedom to edit the blur effect in the background. Overall, the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro is everything you need if you are a professional photographer or you simply like capturing moments and scenery.

Vivo X Fold 3 Pro Review: Performance

The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, making it the first foldable smartphone to feature the latest flagship processor. It also offers 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage which every performance-centric smartphone requires. While foldable smartphones are specifically designed for multitasking capabilities, the Vivo X Fild 3 Pro swifty enables users to run three different apps at the same time. When the device is unfolded, you can open two apps via the split screen view and a third app can be accessed via the floating app feature.

However, the smartphone does struggle during extended hours of usage. Playing graphic-intensive games such as BGMI or Call of Duty for a longer period makes the device uncomfortably hot near the camera module. Rest assured the smartphone is quite quick and responsive in switching between apps or for basic day-to-day usage. The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro also offers some AI features such as AI note assist, AI transcriptions, and AI screen translation which uses Google's Gemini. However, all these AI features can be accessed after you create a Vivo account.

The Vivo X Fild 3 Pro runs on Funtouch OS 14 based on Android 14 which offers several customisable features for home and lock screen. While the user interface is a bit cluttered and jittery, it may take some time to get used to the device handling. However, one of its unique features includes a dual fingerprint screen which is available on the cover and the main screen, providing easy access to unlock the device. Additionally, both the front-facing camera unlocks the device via the face lock. Additionally, the OS also include some third-party apps which are not customised for foldable devices and it may hamper user experience for a premium smartphone that costs Rs.159999.

Vivo X Fold 3 Pro Review: Battery

The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro battery is remarkable with a 5700mAh battery, the biggest battery size in the foldable smartphone market. The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro could easily last up to a day with medium to heavy usage. Therefore, you do not have to worry about recharging the battery every few hours in a day as a single charge could easily last you a day. In terms of charging, the battery supports 100W fast charging and 50W wireless charging. With wired charging, the smartphone powers up in just 35 minutes, which is quite impressive for a foldable device.

Before getting into much more detail, the X Fold 3 Pro has the best camera in the foldable segment with high-quality images and an impressive telephoto lens.

Vivo X Fold 3 Pro Review: Verdict

In my opinion, the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro solves several problems that come with a foldable smartphone. The company has significantly improved the weight and size of the device. However, I still have my doubts about its durability to protect from any body damage. The smartphone comes with a top-notch processor, an impressive camera, and the brightest display, that every smartphone user requires. However, it's the price which bothered me about the device. The price point of Rs.159999 may hamper buyer decision over owning the product despite its advanced features and competitors such as the OnePlus Open and the upcoming Samsung Z Fold 6.